Assistive robotic systems in nursing care: a scoping review

Christoph Ohneberg; Nicole Stöbich; Angelika Warmbein; Ivanka Rathgeber; Amrei Christin Mehler-Klamt; Uli Fischer; Inge Eberl

doi:10.1186/s12912-023-01230-y

Assistive robotic systems in nursing care: a scoping review

BMC Nurs. 2023 Mar 18;22(1):72. doi: 10.1186/s12912-023-01230-y.

Authors

Christoph Ohneberg¹, Nicole Stöbich², Angelika Warmbein³, Ivanka Rathgeber³, Amrei Christin Mehler-Klamt², Uli Fischer³, Inge Eberl²

Affiliations

¹ Professorship of Nursing Science, Faculty of Social Work, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Kapuzinergasse 2, 85072, Eichstätt, Germany. Christoph.Ohneberg@ku.de.
² Professorship of Nursing Science, Faculty of Social Work, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Kapuzinergasse 2, 85072, Eichstätt, Germany.
³ Clinical Nursing Research and Quality Management Unit, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.

Abstract

Background: The use of assistive robotic systems in care is intended to relieve nursing staff. Differentiated and literature-based findings on current application possibilities, technological developments and empirical findings are necessary to enable a goal-oriented and participatory development of assistive robotic systems of care. The aim of this review was to identify assistive robotic systems and their areas of application in nursing settings. Furthermore, an overview of existing social and nursing science findings from the research field of assistive robotic systems will be described.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed based on the JBI scoping review methodology. During the period from May to August 2020, the databases MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore Digital Library were searched. In order to reflect current developments and evidence in the present literature work, a supplementary search with these same requirements was conducted in January 2022.

Results: The 47 included publications are divided into 15 studies, 23 technical articles and nine opinion-based articles (text-opinion). A total of 39 different assistive robotic systems were identified. There were 55% in the testing phase and 29% of the systems in the development phase. Assistive robotic systems can be divided into six fields of application: Information and patient data processing, assistance with activities of daily living, fetch and bring activities, telepresence and communication, monitoring, safety and navigation, and complex assistance systems. The description of the study findings is divided into "integration of technology and impact on practice" and "attitude and acceptance of elderly people towards assistive robotic systems".

Conclusion: The results of the research show that the use of assistive robotic systems in care mainly take place in the context of development and testing phases. In addition to usability and acceptance issues, implementation factors must be integrated into theory-driven research projects.

Keywords: Assistive robotic systems; Inpatient care; Long term care; Nursing robotics; Nursing science; Outpatient care; Robotic applications; Scoping review; Technology implementation.